As the junior officers of Westwood High School continue to plan and host exciting and interactive events, they share the importance of navigating the challenges and empowering other juniors through their last high school years.
Student council has the power to promote genuine change for students on campus. Student council members often engage in fun and interactive events. However, at the castle, they also seek to ensure students are academically prepared and engaged in their studies.
Junior class president, Madison Wilson, shares ideas on how the student council can help Juniors become academically prepared for their last year of high school. She discusses the idea of creating school-wide study groups to help with EOC courses.
“Some things I am putting into consideration [are], we could always have a study group or if they [students] ever need help and they think that’s a good idea (Student Council), we could definitely have study groups.”
End of End-of-course exams, otherwise known as EOCs, happen at the end every of the semester.
Wilson adds, “The {EOCs} can be stressful because you have to take everything you’ve learned the entire semester or year and apply [it] that to a test.”
At Westwood High School, the student council ensures that all students come together, especially during fun activities like the Harvest Festival, which took place on October 27th, 2024. Amaya Williams, the junior class secretary states how she sees the role of the student council in fostering school spirit and community.
“I feel like student council is a good community and school upbringing because it gets everybody involved and excited about upcoming events and gets people to donate to the community and help out the community, and stuff like that.”
Vice President Cailyn Shannon speaks on the key issues for Juniors and why they’re important to address head-on.
“Definitely not really having participation in certain things. I know in high school, like, you’re embarrassed and you’re thinking about what others think all the time, and we’re just trying to cancel out the thought and just get more involvement.”
Shannon adds, “We do different things like we have our student vs. teachers during our spirit days. We have different teachers dressed like students. We just try to make everyone feel we try to create bonds.”
According to Bently University, “Knowing how to work with a team is an essential skill for any career. Being in a student organization teaches you how to do this by putting you in situations where you are required to take advice from others as well as give your own.”
Throughout the year, the Westwood student council has orchestrated and hosted events, such as spirit weeks for homecoming, pep rallies to kick off football seasons, Battle of the Axe, senior night, canned food drives, book drives, and other events that contribute to building campus morale.
According to an article published by Blane County School District, Purpose of Student Council, “The purpose of student council is to give students an opportunity to develop leadership by organizing and carrying out school activities and service projects.”
According to an article written by COMMENTARY, Bridging the gap between the Students and Faculty members, “The “student-teacher gap” isn’t necessarily a problem but rather an opportunity to recognize the unique backgrounds and experiences that both students and teachers bring to the classroom… Reducing this gap can lead to a more cooperative intellectual community, improved educational outcomes, and increased student engagement.”
Jaxson Smith, the junior class representative, uses his role in JSG to leave an impactful legacy for those who come after him. By aspiring to create a place of pride and establishment at Westwood, Smith is contributing to improving the experience of future Redhawks.
“To leave an impactful legacy, I focus on establishing traditions and programs that future student leaders can take to grow and improve on for years to come which can ensure that we can grow not only as a school but as a community.”
Though these Junior officers are excited to plan fun and interactive events for the students, they aspire to ensure all students, not just Junior Redhawks, have a place to prepare for success and college and career readiness.
